~~~

“Finding such a clear spring is nothing less than divine providence. I must go into deep meditation to better appreciate it. Perhaps for the next thirty months.”

“You speak with wisdom beyond your years, junior. Truly, we should all contemplate this mystery.”

The blue-haired disciple and the bald disciple relax under the sun with their eyes closed. They have discarded their outer garments and are floating on a blue, crystalline lake that is large enough for ships to sail in. It is surrounded by flowers and trees that give off delicious fruit, an ideal place for them to rest and recover after all their ordeals.

Indeed, many disciples have chosen to follow the example of the bald and blue-haired disciples. They can be seen relaxing in and around the lake. Even Liu Jin is surprised by how much he needed this. He thought he was handling things better than the rest, but the moment he was given a chance to unwind, all the stress that was building up inside him finally crashed down, leaving his body tired and sleepy.

The toll stress takes on the body and mind is different than the one caused only by lack of food and sleep, it seems.

Liu Jin yawns and turns his head to the side. The many blades of grass prick his skin, but they are neither painful nor annoying. Unlike the rest of the Dead Plains, with its host of inhospitable conditions, the Eye of the Plains has excellent weather and non-harmful vegetation. It is nothing but countless miles of soft grass, trees, and flowers.

When experienced like this, one might just start thinking the Dead Plains are not such a bad place.

That would be foolish.

Many factions have looked at the relative calm of the Eye and attempted to establish a base of operations here. Indeed, the Eternal Flame Clan tried to do this seven times according to Elder Xue.

With a proper base in the Dead Plains, further expeditions would be easier to launch. The Eye of the Plains is uniquely suited to this goal as it is assumed to be in the center of the Dead Plains. His father once implied this assumption was accurate but had not given Liu Jin further details, merely that he should not venture further beyond.

Regardless, all attempts to create a settlement in the Eye failed spectacularly.

It is not building the settlement that is the issue. Neither is moving people here. Some attempts even last for several months.

Then something happens.

No one knows what, how, or why. All everyone knows is that at some point, all settlements built here meet a sudden end. Communication is lost, and when someone goes to investigate, all they find is an empty ruin.

The Eye of the Plains may look peaceful, but there is definitely something wrong in it. Liu Jin can only hope he does not have to find out what.

So far, they have yet to run into any danger. The duke did not understate things. His aura has scared away all the Spirit Beasts they would have found in their path. It is why they can lower their guard and focus on gathering their strength for the next leg of their journey.

Liu Jin can only hope the others are doing half as well.

~~~

“This place offends me.”

Wind can be harsh, cruel, and merciless. The area of the Dead Plains she has been thrown into seems to embody that. It is a place where the roar of the wind is never ending and rocks the size of houses are picked up by the wind as easily as a child would pick up a pebble. It has been that way ever since Lu Mei materialized here days ago.

Only the sphere of wind Lu Mei has created around her body keeps her safe. It diverts the rocks and protects her body from the hurricane.

“It is brutish, deviant, and completely lacking in elegance.”

“I rather like it here.”

Lu Mei glances at Bei Hong. Unlike her, he takes all the rocks thrown by the wind head-on using his Goldforged Body. Even the ones that far dwarf the size of his body. The only reason the wind has not blown him away is that he is using the weight of his aura to anchor himself to the ground.

“You would,” she merely says. Bei Hong laughs in response.

“It is good practice. I cannot recall the last time I had to use Goldforged Body for such a long time. If I didn’t consider this so useful, I might even feel offended that you do not offer to shield me.”

Lu Mei is too ladylike to snort, so she most definitely does not do that.

“If repeated blows to the head could kill you, you’d be long gone.”

Bei Hong throws his head back and laughs. A rock the size of a fist collides with his teeth and breaks.

“I guess that’s what separates us from everyone else,” he muses, spitting out rock fragments.

Their group was attacked by flying Spirit Beasts right after being transported to this place. At least two disciples were killed within seconds. As the ground grew closer, the harsh winds began pelting them with rocks. Only she and Bei Hong managed to stay together throughout their fall. Lu Mei has no idea where the other disciples are, nor does she care that they are most likely dead.

Qing Jin is not among them. That is all that matters.

“I’m surprised you haven’t taken out your carpet,” Bei Hong adds.

“Flying here would use far too much Qi. I’d also have to deal with the birds flying above the wind on my own,” she points out.

“And here I thought you were enjoying my company.”

“When have I ever enjoyed your company?”

“If you didn’t, we wouldn’t have remained together for so many years.”

Lu Mei does not dignify that with an answer.

Mostly because he is right.

They may be on different sides, and they may have accepted the inevitability of having to fight each other. However, they are fellow troublesome children from powerful Sects.

Beating Bei Hong can wait until they have saved each other’s lives.

~~~

Huang Shing lies beaten, bruised, and bloodied. His face is almost unrecognizable, and it would be easier to count the bones in his body that aren’t broken. Even breathing causes him unimaginable pain.

However, the smile on his face shines brighter than the sun.

Slowly, heedless of the pain begging him not to move, Huang Shing raises his fist into the sky and roars in joyous victory. His lungs burn like fire, but the emotion inside him will not be denied. Directly below him lies the corpse of his defeated foe. Red scales, a powerful body, vicious fangs, and a long, sinuous tail. The creature is not as strong as other variants, barely in the late stages of the True Realm. Still, their fight lasted several days, and Huang Shing is lucky to be alive.

Still, he has done it.

Huang Shing has killed a dragon.

~~~

“When shall we join the others?”

“We won’t.”

“What?”

Feng Hao stares at his brother in confusion.

Their days in the Dead Plains have been full of encounters with dangerous Spirit Beasts. For the most part, it has been his brother who has fought them. Watching Feng Zhi kill scores of Spirit Beasts would have been impressive if it weren’t a reminder of his own inadequacies. His brother rarely allowed him to help. If Feng Zhi could have fought without letting go of his hand, he would have.

Sometimes, he did.

Regardless, it was clear to Feng Hao that his brother was beginning to tire. When Feng Zhi suggested they set up a camp in a cave, Feng Hao readily agreed.

“We won’t,” his brother repeats. He taps the cave with his knuckles. “This cave is sturdy. It will stand up to the weather and protect us from Spirit Beasts. We also have enough supplies to last us months. Let the others kill themselves. We shall not join them.”

“But Brother! The contest!”

“The contest?” Feng Zhi narrows his eyes. “Do you really think either of us can make a difference when there are monsters like Xun Huwen out there? Let the Core Disciples handle him. There is no need for you to involve yourself in this. Let Uncle have the leadership of the Sect if that is what it takes.”

Each of Feng Zhi’s words stabs at Feng Hao’s heart. Try as he might, his brain cannot deny the truth of them. He is merely a cultivator in the Nascent Realm. There is nothing he can do to make a difference. That is simply beyond his capabilities.

Feng Hao is well aware of it.

“No.”

And yet, he stands his ground.

“What?”

“I said, no,” Feng Hao says with his hands balled into little fists. “I know the words you speak are true, Venerable Brother! I am sure Mother would agree with you!”

But…he will not hide like a coward!

“But if I were to stay hidden away in his cave while everyone else was out there risking their lives, I would never be able to show my face under the sun again! If I were to live that sort of life, I’d rather die!”

For a moment, nothing but the echoes of Feng Hao’s voice fill the cave.

“Is that so?”

Feng Hao unconsciously takes a step back. His brother has not moved, yet the aura that rises around him is unmistakably violent.

“You do not wish to hide? You wish to join the fight?”

With a swing of his hand, Feng Zhi creates a lash of fire and brings it down. The flames draw a line across the cave, barely a foot away from Feng Hao.

“Very well. You shall have a fight. If you cross that line, I will consider us to be enemies,” Feng Zhi says, standing with his back to the entrance. “Be warned! I will not hold back in the slightest. Attempt to cross at your own risk.”

Feng Hao takes a moment to steel himself.

He steps over the line.

~~~

“Are you insane?!”

Xun Huwen places a hand over his forehead and sighs.

“Why is it that everyone must ask that?”

“Do you not realize where we are?” The Core Disciple asks him. He throws his arm to the side to gesture at their surroundings. As far as gestures go, it is rather useless. Their fight has reduced the surrounding miles to ashes and magma. “We’re on the same side, you mad dog! We both represent Lord Feng Shang! Fighting, especially so close to the true Dead Plains, is nothing but madness!”

“Is that so?” Xun Huwen lunges at the disciple, swiping at him with hands as though they were claws. “I never would have guessed!”

The Core Disciple grits his teeth and unleashes a torrent of furious flames at him.

It is for naught. The blazing flames fail to reach him. There are never any paths to him, and this disciple, for all his raw power, lacks the skill to create one.

Pitiful.

“Is that all you are capable of?” Xun Huwen asks, laughing as a wave of his hand sunders the earth. “How much wasted effort can fit into one lifetime?”

“You’re not the one who decides whether my effort is wasted or not!” The disciple yells at him as he rises into the skies.

“No, that would be you,” Xun Huwen says as he follows after him. “All those dangerous, long-term missions. All those years in meditation. All those thankless tasks. And for what? To prove yourself to the Eternal Flame Clan? To become an Elder one day?”

That he can see it all so clearly on the disciple’s soul is nothing but a disappointment.

“How exactly did all that turn out?” Xun Huwen asks, lunging at him. “It all led you right here! How joyous you must be to stand before me!"

“Silence!”

Xun Huwen smiles as he sees it. Finally.

“Are you even happy with your marriage?”

Hate shines in the disciple’s eyes. “Shut. Up!”

“You are not, aren’t you? Oh, how long have you doubted your wife’s faithfulness? How can such a brittle bond ever be celebrated! But fear not! I shall put all your worries to rest.”

“Eno-”

Xun Huwen shoves a hand through the disciple’s chest.

“Pitiful,” he says, a blast of pure destruction reduces the rest of the disciple to nothing. “Absolutely pitiful.”

A Core Disciple of the Eternal Flame Clan should not be so easy to destroy. His soul should not be so unguarded.

“This is why there is no point in going after anyone but the Feng Clan.”

~~~

“Brother Qing, help!”

Liu Jin does not need to open his eyes to know what is happening, but he does it regardless. The disciples who were relaxing in the lake are now fending off an angry sea snake. Though half of its body remains submerged, Liu Jin feels confident in saying its length is equivalent to a few city blocks.

Of course, the other disciples are less concerned about its length and more concerned about the many rows of serrated teeth in its mouth.

“A magnificent specimen,” Fan Bingbing says. She already has her guqin out as she prepares to subdue the beast. “Unlike terrestrial creatures, it couldn’t flee when it felt the duke’s aura. It must have been hiding at the bottom of the lake all this time.”

Which says a lot about how deep this lake is if they had been unable to sense it.

“This disciple does not mean to interrupt your discourse,” says an unlucky disciple on top of the sea snake, “but your help would be greatly appreciated!”

Liu Jin takes out his spear. Lightning crackles around his body.

Fan Bingbing starts playing.

They eat sea snake that night.

~~~